


Five Times Bruce Knew Exactly What to Say

by storiesfortravellers



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Clint Says Inappropriate Things About Captain America's Ass, Domesticity, French Toast, Happy Ending, M/M, Mild Angst, Multi, Pre-OT3, Rescue, Romance, Science, Team Feels, Threesome - M/M/M, jealous!tony
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-07
Updated: 2014-01-20
Packaged: 2018-01-07 21:06:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1124381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/storiesfortravellers/pseuds/storiesfortravellers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"When Steve was a kid, he hated being rescued...."</p><p> Eventual Steve/Bruce/Tony.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Rescue

**Author's Note:**

> SPOILERS for Captain America 2 -- specifically, spoilers from the preview of CA2 that has been playing in movie theaters - no spoilers except for what was the in the trailer, and speculations based on it.
> 
> Written for a prompt at avengerkink for Steve/Bruce getting together first and then after they are in relationship, approaching Tony to join them.

When Steve was a kid, he hated being rescued. He hated the shame of it, and all the helplessness it implied, even as he was grateful to his rescuer (who was always, always Bucky). 

When he was finally allowed in a war zone, Steve had to drop his youthful embarrassment; rescue was part of being a team, and it went all directions, regardless of rank.

Steve thought about this as he stood, bound to a metal wall, in a SHIELD facility for daring to question Fury’s plans. 

He was definitely mature enough to appreciate a rescue now.

It was for this reason, that when Agent Romanov walked in through the doors at the far end of the room, Steve took a moment to wonder if he should ask her to rescue him or hope that someone comes to rescue him from her. He wondered if Fury sent her to execute him or to “persuade” him.

“Out,” Natasha said to the guards. 

“Agent Romanov, we have strict orders--” the head guard started, but then saw the look in her eyes and said, “Yes, ma’am.”

They were alone in the large room now, a light bulb above the only source of light. She walked slowly toward him with her arms crossed.

She narrowed her eyes. 

“Stark,” she said, sounding displeased as she stared at him.

“No, I’m Rogers,” Steve said, a bit confused.

A wall vent popped out then, and Steve could hear Tony Stark coughing in the dust.

“Sorry I’m late,” Tony said as he plopped onto the floor. He got up and took a device out of his pocket and started fiddling with it. Soon, Steve’s restraints opened, and he stood up straight, rubbing his wrists (he had been in those restraints 36 hours, and even he felt a little stiff). 

“Magnets,” Tony snorted. “How was I ever able to conquer the advanced science of magnets? It’s like the science project I did when I was four. Except, you know, way easier.”

“Where’s the suit?” Natasha said. 

“Do you know how many precautions there are to make sure the suit in any form doesn’t enter SHIELD facilities? A lot,” Tony said. “Whereas the measures to protect you from suitless genius computer hackers are comparatively easy.”

“The suit was our ride,” Natasha said.

“Clint’s our ride now,” Tony said with a grin.

Natasha rolled her eyes. “Great. I hope you all brought barf bags.” She gestured toward the ceiling and threw up a grappling hook. “We can get to the roof through the ceiling shaft.”

“Natasha, you and Clint can’t do this,” Steve said, forgetting for the moment his recent thoughts on rescue.

“A little late for that,” Tony said.

“We chose our path, and we’re good at lying low,” Natasha said, a light slap on Steve’s shoulder. “So no feeling guilty or we’ll start making fun of how you look in your uniform. And you know Clint’s been saving some good ones up.”

“I think I can handle being told I look like a dork in the uniform,” Steve said wryly.

“Actually, they’re mostly about how round and firm your ass looks in those tight pants,” Natasha said in the most nonchalant, disinterested tone imaginable.”

“He’s actually turning bright red,” Tony said gleefully.

“It would be faster if Steve carried you up the rope,” Natasha told him. 

Tony frowned, but she added, “None of us complain when you carry us.”

“Robin Hood Men in Tights complains plenty,” Tony grumbled but grabbed onto Steve’s shoulders. 

Soon they were both up on the roof, avoiding fire as they rushed into the aircraft Clint was piloting. 

They piled in and Steve was the only one surprised to see Bruce there.

“Hi, Steve,” Bruce said pleasantly. He seemed to be completely tuning out the gunfire around him.

“Hi,” Steve answered, then, realizing something, turned to Clint and Natasha. “They could use the missile launchers to shoot us down once we’re off the roof.”

“Why do you think Banner’s here?” Tony said with a smile. 

“Communication channel open,” Clint said, and Fury appeared on a screen in the front of the plane. 

Bruce leaned forward between two seats and said, quite casually, “Nice to see you, Director Fury. I just wanted to remind you that if this plane is shot down, I would survive, and I would head straight toward you. Even if you escaped, you’d probably end up with a lot of dead SHIELD agents.”

Fury glared. But he glanced at someone offscreen and the gunfire stopped. “Don’t think you’re going to get away with this. Any of you. We will find you.”

“Yeah, well, that won’t be hard, because we’re not planning to hide,” Tony said smugly, and Clint cut the comm line.

They flew away without incident, Clint making the plane accelerate in a way that clearly made all of their stomachs lurch.

“Are you okay?” Tony said to Bruce, who nodded and grimaced. Steve considered how hard it must have been for Bruce to casually mention his potential to end lives, and felt a surge of protectiveness for him – and for Tony, who was surprisingly sensitive when it came to Bruce, and who just came into a facility full of assassins and specialists with nothing but his handheld to save him. And for Natasha and Clint, who had just given up everything they have ever known for him.

He swallowed. “Thank you. All of you. I can never pay you back for what you did. But I’ll try.”

Natasha and Clint looked at each other. “You could send me a full body portrait of you in your suit,” Clint said, and all of them except Steve laughed.

“I told you what would happen if you got all guilt trippy,” Natasha said to Steve.

Tony looked at his phone then. “Pepper just gave the press conference,” he said.

“What?” Steve said.

Tony explained. “You, me, and Bruce are going to live in the tower. The security is top notch, and we’ll have you, Bruce, and the suits to defend ourselves. Pepper just announced to the world that there is a shady organization called SHIELD that wants to silence Captain America, and that the Avengers consider this a violation of the law. SI lawyers obviously have the legal justification for that.”

Steve realized: “You’re going to make it impossible to take us without a huge battle. And a huge battle would attract the world’s attention, and make everyone want investigations into SHIELD.”

“We’re safer in plain sight than anywhere else. Especially with Bruce there,” Tony answered.

Steve looked over at Bruce. “I’m so sorry you got pulled into this,” he said. “I know you prefer your solitude.”

Bruce just shrugged. “It’ll be a nice change.” As if he weren’t making an enormous sacrifice because Steve was stupid enough to underestimate Fury.

“It was Banner’s idea to be our bodyguard,” Tony said, then, and Bruce gave him a smile.

“It was about time I did something useful with my … condition,” Bruce said.

“Thank you,” Steve said. 

Clint said, “Nat and I are going to go underground for a while. You guys are one thing, but SHIELD won’t let their own go without a fight, so it’s better to run for now. We’ll leave a way to contact us if you need us. You know, aliens, whatnot.”

“I’m sorry you have to leave SHIELD because of me,” Steve told them. 

“When you work out, from behind it’s like watching two apples make out on a trampoline,” Clint said as he adjusting some buttons on the flight panel.

Tony snickered uncontrollably.

“I told you, it’s our choice, therefore no feeling guilty, or you get Clint’s color commentary,” Natasha said. 

Steve smiled at them and nodded. He looked around at his team, his rescuers, gratitude pressing sweet and heavy inside his chest. He knew better than to thank them again, to apologize again, so he just leaned back in his chair and let them take him home.


	2. Avengers Tower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The three of them get settled in the Tower and learn to live with each other.
> 
> Steve decides to learn more about science, and Tony gets very excited.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Brief hints at canon mentions of self-harm.

Steve settled into Tony’s place fairly easily. The press dubbed their home “Avengers Tower,” and Fury had agreed to a temporary truce, largely based on mutually assured destruction, but it depended on Steve and Tony staying where they could be “watched.” Tony found this hilarious, since he claimed that being guarded by Stark tech made them safer from surveillance than anywhere else in the world.

Clint and Natasha weren’t in contact, which likely meant that all was well with them. Steve hoped they weren’t miserable. 

For security reasons, they all agreed that it would be best if Steve didn’t leave the Tower for a while, at least until they had a little more faith in their SHIELD truce. So Steve, while happy that his team was safe, was fairly bored.

He had plenty of history, art, music, and books to catch up on, from when he was gone. And the Tower had a workout facility that even kept Steve on his toes; in fact, “sparring” with a fully suited Iron Man was a good workout for his speed and strategy, and he definitely kept Tony on his toes too. (Bruce, for obvious reasons, never wanted to work out with them.)

He was having a good time getting to know his roommates, though. He and Tony usually got along well, and when they didn’t, Bruce would silently leave the room, which he and Tony usually took as a sign that they had crossed a line and should give each other a little space before talking about it. Tony was usually a good roommate, though: Tony always had some fun idea of something he wanted to do – some piece of culture Steve had to experience, some game, something ridiculous to bicker over, and Steve knew that a big part of it was that Tony knew how hard, and how tedious, it was to be stuck in the Tower all day.

Bruce was more fun to live with than Steve realized as well. Bruce was always making some wry observation, some sarcastic comment that people who didn’t know him wouldn’t expect. But he was also understanding. Early in the morning, Steve would sit at the kitchen counter, as Bruce made (truly delicious) French Toast, while Tony was either sleeping or in the lab. In those quiet early hours, they would talk; Bruce would open up about his past (some of it – never all), and so would Steve: about growing up, about Dr. Erskine, about the war. About Bucky….

He hadn’t talked about these things with anyone in this century. But Bruce always just listened, never judged, never looked at Steve with pity (Steve figured that Bruce didn’t want to be looked at with pity, soBruce never did it to anyone else either).

Tony never joined them for breakfast but he usually did for dinner; his presence made it less quiet, less intimate, but more jovial, and more of a challenge (in an enjoyable way, Steve was finding). Tony would joke and gripe and brainstorm pranks to play on Fury (which Steve and Bruce and JARVIS always unanimously vetoed). He would also talk shop with Bruce, the two of them talking animatedly about concepts that Steve didn’t understand, even as he enjoyed watching the ideas spark the two men’s energies.

It might have been watching these conversations that made Steve decide that he wanted to learn more about science.

“That’s awesome!” Tony said, “Bruce and I will be the best tutors ever!”

“I was going to teach myself at first,” Steve said.

“Pfffffft,” Tony said.

Bruce just smiled and helped himself to more mashed potatoes.

“I’ll ask you guys if I have questions,” Steve said. He wouldn’t; he would ask JARVIS, who would answer his questions about science without explaining how it relates to some exciting new project that was still light years ahead of what Steve could grasp. 

Bruce looked at him for a second, seeming to figure something out. “Let’s have regular classes. We can cover science, at a reasonable pace, and Steve can teach us something. I was thinking art, since I don’t know much about it, and Steve went to art school.”

“I already know about art,” Tony said.

“No,” Bruce said, “You know Pepper, and Pepper knows about art, and she tells you what to think about it.”

“How many CEOs would do that?” Tony said.

“Her patience is admirable,” Bruce agreed. “So how about it?”

“Will this art class have nude drawings?” Tony asked Steve.

“Are you volunteering to be the model?” Steve shot back.

“Sure, I’d excel as an artist’s model,” Tony said with a wink.

“You realize that it would involve sitting absolutely still and saying nothing,” Steve answered.

Tony paused. “Whatever. Okay, art class after dinner, science class after that – everyone cool?”

Steve smiled. This isn’t exactly what he had planned. But … it wasn’t a terrible idea.

He hoped.

“Sure,” he said, and Bruce nodded too.

 

\--

Apparently, being able to draw a detailed machine design in perfect proportion doesn’t transfer to an ability to draw… anything else. Tony in particular got easily bored with areas in which he didn’t excel, so it wasn’t long before Steve changed art class to art history class, which gave Steve the opportunity to also teach himself about all the artists he had missed, as well to review the arts of other cultures and periods. 

Science class was… a challenge. It did keep Steve busy, though; during the day, he often had to read up on what Tony and Bruce had talked about the night before. He decided to specialize in biochemistry, mostly to avoid another discussion in which Tony explained that the work done with the Large Hadron Collider was comparable to a truly great masturbation session. 

For more complex questions, that JARVIS felt were too speculative for him to answer, Steve tended to go to Bruce, who was a little less excitable about science, despite his interest (it’s rather that he was, in general, less excitable). Bruce always explained things in simple terms, never making Steve feel stupid for failing to be one of the world’s greatest scientists. 

It was during one of these question sessions, when the conversation turned toward Dr. Erskine’s work, that Bruce asked him, “Are you trying to figure out if you can die?”

Steve swallowed. “I can. I still have vulnerabilities.” 

“You can die violently. But you want to know if you can die of old age,” Bruce said.

Steve looked down.

“Is this why you wanted to learn about science?” Bruce asked gently.

Steve shrugged. “I figure I should at least have some idea what I am.”

Bruce nodded, slowly. He looked hesitant.

“What is it?” Steve said.

“It’s just… it doesn’t look like there’s any way to predict that based on the science.” Bruce held his gaze steady.

“Oh.”

“But it does look like you’ll age. Not at the regular rate. But you will.”

“Okay.”

Steve was silent for a minute. Then: “I’m sorry for making you talk about this.” _For making you talk about being able to die._

Bruce reached out and gripped Steve’s shoulder softly. “Don’t be. It’s hard, not knowing if you’re like… other people. But nobody really gets to know their future, and that includes us.”

“You’re right,” Steve said, nodding. It shouldn’t be a comfort – uncertainty as the human condition – but, somehow, it was.

Bruce smiled gently and leaned back. “Tell me more about Dr. Erskine.”

Steve smiled sadly at the memory. “He was a really, really good man.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bruce/Steve FIrst Kiss

The first time Steve kissed Bruce, they had both just tucked a very drunk Tony into bed. Bruce kissed him back for a moment, then made excuses and ran off.

The second time Steve kissed Bruce, it was after Steve fell asleep on the couch watching old movies, leaning on Bruce’s shoulder. Bruce had gently ran his hand on Steve’s cheek to wake him, and Steve had opened his eyes to Bruce’s face and leaned up and kissed him. 

“Sorry,” Steve had said awkwardly and went to his own rooms.

Before he could do it a third time, Steve stopped to ask: “I’d kind of like to kiss you know, but I’m not sure if it would be welcome.” They had just finished breakfast, and the kitchen was quiet, nothing but faint sounds of birds out the window.

Bruce sighed. He looked up at Steve and told him, “Yeah, it’s not a good idea.”

“Because we live together.”

“Because I don’t want to be with anyone.”

“Oh.” 

“And yes, I’m sure,” Bruce said.

“Not what I was going to ask,” Steve said.

“Right. Well… sorry. I mean, thanks. You’re … gorgeous and you, know, you, but… no.” He looked awkward, nervous even, as if he were afraid that Steve wouldn’t want to be his friend any more.

“Thanks for being honest,” Steve said, and proceeded to do the dishes with him, as usual.

“Thanks for understanding,” Bruce told him with a grateful smile, and looked back down at the plates.

\--

They continue like nothing ever happened. But the next time they watch movies alone, it’s a historical documentary, and Bruce is the one who falls asleep on him. He clings tightly to Steve in his sleep, nestling his head into Steve’s chest.

When the movie’s done, Steve wakes him up by whispering his name.

Bruce’s eyelashes flutter open, and he looks at Steve. And he says, apropos of nothing, “I can’t have sex.”

“Okay,” Steve says.

“That’s why… no. Because with my condition. It’s a risk to have sex.”

“Oh. So you don’t ever want to…”

“It’s not a matter of want. It’s not safe,” Bruce says.

“I see. But…”

“What?”

“Don’t you ever get lonely?... Sorry, stupid question.”

“Kind of,” Bruce says, unusually brittle. 

“Okay.”

“I just … thought you should know why,” Bruce said, kinder.

“But… you can kiss.”

“Yeah. But that’s it. So no relationship.”

“Right.”

Bruce got up slowly and left, and Steve stayed on the couch to think.

\--

A few days later, Steve stood close to Bruce as they were cooking breakfast. He was, intentionally, in Bruce’s way.

“Steve?”

“Would you please do me the honor of going on a date with me?” Steve asked.

Bruce raised an eyebrow. “First, you are very old-fashioned. Second, we’ve been through this.”

“Was what you said – was that the only reason?”

“It’s a pretty good reason,” Bruce pointed out.

“Sex is not the most important thing.”

“It’s not nothing.”

“We could sleep next to each other. Be together. Go on dates. Okay, mostly dates that don’t involve leaving the Tower. But still. And we could kiss. And I could… handle whatever other needs I have on my own.”

Bruce stared at him for a second. “You’re serious?”

“I want to be with you. And I don’t think you should find excuses to be alone.”

“It’s not an excuse,” Bruce said testily.

“I can handle the Other Guy. I know you’re scared of hurting people, but I trust your control.”

“And even if I lost control, you could probably survive him,” Bruce said.

“Yes. And I know that’s a big part of why you think you have to be alone. And by the way, in my day, lots of people dated without having sex.”

“Because they wanted to wait. Not because they didn’t want sex ever.”

Steve crossed his arms. “Sex is not the main reason I want to be with you. Not that I would kick you out of bed. But… it’s not a dealbreaker.”

Bruce looked up at him. “You _are_ serious.”

Steve shifted a little, and Bruce suddenly laughed, “Holy crap, Steve. You’re nervous?”

“Of course I’m nervous,” Steve said. “I don’t what you’re going to say.”

Bruce tilted his head. “You really think you can go without?”

“If you knew how long I’ve gone without… well, that’d be embarrassing, so we’re not going to talk about that.”

Bruce smiled. “If you’re sure. If you can really accept this about me.”

“Wouldn’t ask if I weren’t.”

Bruce paused. Then he leaned forward and up, and kissed Steve, soft, wet.

The third kiss was definitely Bruce’s fault.

“I would be very honored if you would take me on a date, Mr. Rogers,” Bruce said with a smirk.

“Not even dating for two seconds and you’re already mocking me,” Steve said, shaking his head with a grin.

“Get used to it.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve finds out that Tony asked Bruce out first.

Steve felt a lot less lonely now that he slept next to Bruce every night.

True to his word, he didn’t ever ask for anything more than a kiss. But his sex life consisted of alone time in the shower before Bruce anyway, so it wasn’t a difficult transition.

Tony was outwardly supportive, but Steve picked up on a little bit of disappointment. Maybe he felt like a bit of a third wheel – which was no way to feel in one’s own home. Steve tried to spend more time with Tony, just to be a better friend, and Tony seemed to relax a little more about the whole situation.

Or so Steve thought, until he walked in on an argument between Bruce and Tony.

Which was disturbing, since Tony and Bruce didn’t argue (Bruce didn’t argue with anyone).

Steve listened from the hallway (to make sure nothing threatened Bruce’s calm, he told himself, and not purely out of nosiness). It was about halfway through that Steve realized why Tony was upset.

“I don’t even care that you’d rather be with him,” Tony yelled. “Hell, who wouldn’t? With the looks and the heroism and the whole not being a hot mess?”

“Tony, that’s not--” Bruce said.

“But why did you have to lie to me? What did you think would happen if you said no? You didn’t even trust me enough to tell me flat out you didn’t want to be with me!” Tony said.

“It’s not like that--” Bruce tried to respond.

“It IS like that. You could have told me no, let’s be friends, you think I’ve never heard that? That would be fine! But you give me some bullshit story about not being able to have sex?” 

“That’s the truth,” Steve said, walking into the room. 

“What?” Tony said.

“Bruce and I, we…”

Bruce finished, “We’re not having sex, Tony.”

Tony stared. “But you spend every night together.”

“Not having sex,” Bruce said, pointedly.

“Oh,” Tony said, looking very confused. Finally, he looked up at Steve. “Congratulations, Steve. I guess you’re the better man.”

Tony walked out then, and Steve could tell that Bruce wanted to follow him.

“Give him a little time,” Steve suggested.

Bruce nodded and pulled Steve into a hug.

Steve hugged him back, wondering if the only reason they were together was because Tony didn’t think to make the same offer Steve did.

\--

Later that day, Steve went to talk to Tony.

“Hey,” Tony said, barely looking up from his work.

“Just wanted to clear the air.”

“Air’s clear. Crystal.”

“Tony.”

Tony sighed and stood upright. “I get it, Rogers. You accepted what he wanted. I tried to change his mind. He went with the guy who would give him what he needed without making him change. I would have done the same. You won, because you deserved to win.”

“I don’t think that’s exactly how it happened,” Steve said. 

“I’m just too selfish to be with someone without sex, I guess,” Tony said.

“I doubt that,” Steve said.

Tony paused. “And I don’t think I could ever give up the idea that Bruce could find a way to,” Tony added.

That, Steve believed. Tony didn’t like to be told that there was no solution to a problem. 

“I think Bruce really likes you,” Steve said.

Tony stared at him for a second. “You’re not seriously here to tell me to stay away from your man, are you?”

“No, I… I don’t know why I’m here, I guess.” Steve got up to leave. 

“He wishes he could,” Tony said.

“What?”

“Bruce wishes he could have sex. It’s not like he doesn’t like it. He’s just scared. And if he ever feels like trying to figure it out… I’ll help. With the science, I mean. Not with… you know. I’ll help. He can use the Hulk-proof room and we’ll do experiments, and you’ll be there, and I’ll leave for all the private moments. But just so you know… when Bruce changes his mind, I’ll be there to make sure you guys have all the help you need.” Tony was looking away, pretending to stare at a screen full of numbers.

“I don’t know if that’s… happening,” Steve said. “But … thanks. Really.” It was a strange thing to thank someone for, but Steve knew the selflessness it took to offer it.

“Yeah,” Tony said dismissively, and went back to his work. 

\--

Steve was silent as he curled next to Bruce in bed that night.

Finally, Bruce let out a long sigh. “You’re not my second choice, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

“No,” Steve said. “Well, maybe a little.”

Bruce leaned over and gave him a long kiss. 

Steve smiled. “It’s not that I’m jealous.”

“But?”

“But I’ve seen the way you look at Tony sometimes.”

Bruce tilted his head. “And I’ve seen the way that _you_ look at Tony sometimes.”

Steve blushed. “That’s not what I mean.”

Bruce paused. “You feel bad for him.” 

“I just – think if you asked, he would have agreed to anything you wanted.” Steve knew he shouldn’t be telling Bruce this, but he hated the idea that he might have gotten something that he had no right to, just because of a miscommunication.

Bruce narrowed his eyes. “You know, just because we’re both into science, it doesn’t mean that Tony’s a better match for me than you are.”

Steve sighed. “I hate it when you do that.”

“What?” 

“When you’re perceptive.”

“Oh, that. Yeah, you don’t hate that. You love that,” Bruce said with a grin.

Steve rolled his eyes but leaned in a little closer.

“Are we okay?” Bruce said, breath soft, hot, against Steve’s face.

“Yeah. Do you think Tony will be okay?”

“He’s Tony.”

“Right.”

They moved closer, entangled their limbs, and leaned on each other then. They did their best to fall asleep.

\--

It was another month before Bruce brought it up.

“You can sleep with Tony if you want.”

“What?” Steve said.

“I think it’s a good idea. I can’t… give you that,” Bruce explained.

“So you think I’m just going to get some on the side? And that Tony wants to be our – what? Sex substitute?”

“I really should have rehearsed this,” Bruce mumbled.

Steve waited.

“Okay,” Bruce said, “Let me start over. How would you feel about inviting Tony to join us? I know you like him, and that if I weren’t here, you’d probably be with him already. Presuming you two didn’t argue too much. And it would be the three of us. But when it came time for, you know, I would leave the room. But the other parts of the relationships, it would be all three of us, equal parts. But that is obviously something we would ask Tony _only_ if you were completely comfortable with.” 

Steve sat down. “What made you think of this?”

“Tony’s lonely, you’re horny, I’m guilty,” Bruce said.

“That’s not a foundation for a stable relationship.”

“And I think that you like Tony as much as I do. And he likes both of us. We’re just kidding ourselves if we try to act like nothing’s there,” Bruce answered.

“You’ve really thought about this.”

“Yeah. So you can take some time to think about it too.”

“Yeah.”

\--

It’s another week before Steve says yes. They ask Tony that night. 

Tony doesn’t need a week to think.

Tony and Steve decide to put off sex for a while. But on their first night, Tony climbs into bed with them, sleeping on Steve’s left side, with Bruce on Steve’s right. 

“Thanks for, you know, inviting me,” Tony said when the lights went off.

“We’re glad you’re here,” Steve said, pulling Tony closer.

“Are you two going to talk all night?” Bruce said, in faux exaggerated annoyance.

Tony leaned over Steve to kiss Bruce good night, and then to kiss Steve as well. 

“Totally,” Tony said, and Steve laughed. Bruce groaned and gently tossed a pillow at them both.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arguments and sexytimes.

Steve is surprised to find that there isn’t much jealousy. Tony tends to draw a lot of attention when he’s in the room, but Bruce and Steve still have time alone, and everyone seems to be getting what they need.

Tony and Steve wait a while before having sex; the first time they do, it’s in Tony’s bed, in the middle of the afternoon. They’re both happy, they shower, and they go about their day. Bruce knows what happened, but none of them say anything when they curl up together at night.

For a while, it feels like it’s not going to be that complicated.

Until the bedroom becomes a battlefield.

And not in the fun way.

It starts when Tony decides to climb over Steve to be in the middle. He has a bowl of popcorn which almost spills all over them all, but Steve thinks it’s rather adorable that Tony wants to be cuddled from both sides. They talk for a while, and then Tony falls asleep first, then Steve.

Steve wakes up when he feels Bruce climb into bed on the opposite side of him. 

Tony seems to take this as a challenge, climbing into bed next to Bruce the next time. But when Bruce gets up to go to the bathroom, he comes back and gestures for Steve to move over, again making sure Steve is in the middle.

Neither of them ever says anything, but it’s obvious to Steve that it’s an escalating conflict.

Finally, one afternoon, after Steve and Tony had (rather spectacular) sex, they lay in each other’s arms, and Steve said, “You should let the thing with the bed go.” It came off preachier than he intended, but it was out, and Steve wasn’t sorry; this relationship might end up complicated as hell, and he thought it was reckless to get worked up over who sleeps where.

“Easy for you to say,” Tony said, pushing slightly away.

“It’s not because he doesn’t feel the same way about you,” Steve said. “He’s just scared of turning in the middle of the night. I would have a better chance of surviving.”

“Yeah, I get it. He feels safe next to you, not to me.”

“I wouldn’t put it like that,” Steve said.

Tony narrowed his eyes. “You two have talked about this without me?”

Steve sighed. “He may have mentioned that if he turns, I should get you to safety right away. But he was just taking precautions.” 

Tony’s lips thinned.

“You can’t be offended. It’s not because he doesn’t love you as much.”

“It’s because he can’t be next to me at night because of irrational fear.”

“It’s not irrational.”

“We’ve seen him through nightmares,” Tony pointed out, “He wakes up, calms down, it’s all good. Hell, my nightmares have come closer to violence than his.” Steve noticed the way he winced when he said it.

“He’s also worried what he would do if there were an attack on the Tower. He just wants to protect you,” Steve said.

“Like he wants to protect us from his dangerous, dangerous hard-on?”

Steve paused. “Maybe this is a conversation you should be having with him.”

“Might as well, you just take Bruce’s side regardless,” Tony said, turning the other direction.

Steve let out a breath, struggled to keep his voice calm. “You have no idea what it’s like to fear your own power,” he finally said.

Tony looked back at him sharply. “I made weapons for years. Do you have any idea how many people have been hurt with things I invented?” Tony snapped.

Steve almost replied that it shouldn’t have taken Tony 20 years and a kidnapping to figure out that making weapons is bad, but he didn’t. Some things you don’t get to take back. Besides, who was Steve to criticize? He turned his own body into a weapon, and didn’t regret it.

Steve took a breath. “It’s not the same.”

Tony paused. “When I was with Pepper. The suits attacked her once. Came close, anyway.”

Steve didn’t have any idea. “I’m sorry.”

“I understand. Better than you think.”

“Okay.” 

“It makes me feel like Bruce wants me at arm’s length. Literally,” Tony said, calmer.

“He doesn’t.”

“Right.”

Steve leaned in, brought Tony toward him, holding him tightly. “We both want you, as much of you as we can.” 

Tony leaned into his neck and closed his eyes. Apparently, they were done talking.

\--

Steve knew that there were certain things that he should let Tony and Bruce handle. But what harm could come from telling Bruce that Tony really needed to sleep next to Bruce and that Steve thought he should consider it?

Apparently, a lot.

Bruce decided to sleep in his own bedroom for a while, apart from them both.

Steve thought this was a huge overreaction, but was willing to be patient. Eventually, he realized that it wasn’t so much an overreaction as a reaction to the fact that Tony kept bringing up sex to Bruce.

Steve was starting to feel like this was science class again – like he couldn’t figure the two of them out without eavesdropping, and even then it was only halfway.

He was starting to feel pissed off about it.

He went to Bruce’s quarters one night, ready to talk, but Bruce just looked so… tired.

They ended up cuddling in Bruce’s bed instead of talking. Steve was worried how Tony would feel about sleeping alone, but Bruce said that whenever Tony was frustrated, he would spend all night in the lab anyway.

In the morning, when Steve woke up to a warm bed, he and Bruce lay there, awake, for a while.

Finally, Bruce said, “Tony discovered something.”

“What?”

“About my… physiology.”

Steve took a moment. “He discovered a way for you to…”

“He discovered a way that might someday potentially lead to greater control for me in all situations, including sex. A preliminary step.”

“Is the science good?” Steve asked.

“It’s Tony.”

“Right.” Steve wanted to ask what Bruce thought, why Bruce wasn’t happy.

“I know that you’ve been annoyed at Tony. That you think Tony went back on our agreement. He didn’t, not really. He never promised to stop looking for a solution,” Bruce said, stroking Steve on the back.

“You’re telling me this so _I_ can make up with Tony?”

“I don’t want my issues to get between you two,” Bruce said.

Steve paused. “None of us have doing the communication thing all that well.”

“Yeah. But I hate it when you and Tony aren’t getting along.”

“You must have really hated the first few weeks of living together then,” Steve said.

“Yep,” Bruce said unapologetically, and Steve had to laugh.

“So you and Tony are arguing about…”

“Tony is angry that I won’t agree that we’ll have sex some day once all the science has been proven.”

“You don’t want to get your hopes up.”

“I just… don’t know if it’s ever going to be worth it. To risk it. Even with greater control, that’s not perfect control. How do you justify that kind of danger for some pleasure?”

“I can handle myself, and Tony can have a suit on in a fraction of a second. If you’re going to risk it anywhere, it should be here with us,” Steve said.

Bruce sighed. “I see you’re taking his side. I thought you were happy.”

“I am. Or I was, before we started arguing. I just… don’t see why you’re not considering the possibility…” Steve discerned the nervousness in Bruce’s eyes. “But I understand that it’s up to you.”

Bruce nodded, relieved. “We’ll figure it out,” Steve said, then pulled him closer. Bruce just nodded again.

\--

Later that day, Steve apologized to Tony for making assumptions. Tony shrugged it off, but Steve could feel some of the weight lift between them.

That evening, before dinner, Tony mumbled a quick apology for being “you know, pushy or whatever,” and Bruce responded by giving him a long hug.

That night, they slept in the same bed, and Bruce told Tony to sleep in the middle. Tony almost teared up but pretended not to, and the three of them spent the night without incident.

\--

Bruce agreed to help Tony with his study of Bruce’s physiology, with the tacit agreement that it would be for the purposes of giving Bruce more safety and peace of mind, and that nobody would mention sex until Bruce did.

Bruce and Tony had their time in the lab, Tony and Steve hung out in the gym together, and Bruce and Steve still did breakfasts and movie nights together.

Tony decided that he really liked sleeping in the middle. 

Steve knew something was up when Tony showed up at breakfast early in the morning. 

“So. Idea,” Tony said, as if he were pitching something to the SI board. But, well, more politely.

“Yeah?” Steve said.

“How would you feel about Bruce going to the Other-Guy-Proof room and watching a video feed of us. Together,” Tony asked him.

Steve raised an eyebrow at Bruce, who nodded. Apparently, Bruce was on board with this.

“You’ve made that much progress on your theory?” Steve said.

Bruce shifted uncomfortable. “That’s actually several months away. At least.”

Tony grinned. “Bruce thinks maybe he can watch and not get too turned on. Or maybe jerk off and not Hulk out. He’s been reading all these books on yoga sex.”

“It’s not technically called yoga sex,” Bruce said, having started blushing at the term ‘jerk off.’

“You really want this?” Steve asked Bruce.

“This wasn’t just me pressuring him,” Tony said quickly, a bit sharp.

“I know,” Steve said, and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. 

Bruce paused, then said, “I think I just needed a reason to admit that I want to be able to do this. And with one boyfriend being overly pushy and the other being overprotective… I guess I found the reason. Tony grinding up against me in his sleep like an animal every night didn’t hurt either.”

Tony grinned proudly, and Steve laughed.

Bruce quickly added, “This in no way means we are anywhere NEAR the three of us being together that way.”

“But it’s a maybe, possibly, someday?” Tony said.

Bruce sighed. “Emphasis on maybe.”

Tony grinned at Steve. “Bruce totally wants our hot asses.”

Steve had to smile. 

“So how about it?” Bruce said.

Steve nodded. “Sounds like a plan.”

“No time like the early morning,” Tony said, and leaned over and kissed Steve’s neck, the tiniest hint of bite.

Steve could see Bruce licking his lips. “I need to get to that room.”

\--

A few minutes after they were done, Bruce walked into their room, freshly showered.

“You look… relaxed,” Tony said, a bit smugly. 

Bruce climbed into bed with them as they scooted over to make room.

“Was that okay?” Steve asked. _Did it bother you to watch the two of us together?_

“More than okay,” Bruce said, and leaned over to kiss Steve, then Tony. 

Tony said, “I have ideas for next time, we’re going to have three cameras, and JARVIS will zoom in on Steve’s cock and--”

“I am very uncomfortable with that,” Steve said. 

“Fine,” Tony pouted, then poked Bruce. “See? Calm, yeah? You’re feeling good, right?” 

“Tony,” Bruce said, “I just watched the two hottest, most decent men I know, both of whom I love, fuck like rabbits. And now I’m in bed with them. So yeah, I’m feeling pretty good.”

Tony, looking incredibly pleased with the comment, curled toward him, and so did Steve. Bruce moved up next to Tony and interlaced his fingers with Steve’s. “I mean it, you know?” Bruce said softly.

“That you love us?” Tony said, and Steve could hear the smile in his voice.

“Yes,” Bruce said. “But also that I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s show.”


End file.
